DVD REVIEW: Witch Hunter Robin
The latest and greatest from Sunrise, one of Japan's top anime studios, is Witch Hunter Robin, which pulls on a number of unusual influences to create one of the most unique series I've seen in some time.
Take equal parts Blade, La Femme Nikita, The X-Files, Firestarter and of course The Matrix and a touch of the Salem witch trials and you get a very unusual series.
So far, 26 episodes have aired in Japan, and this disc contains the first five episodes. I can't wait to see the rest.
Witch Hunter Robin - The Series
Set in present-day Japan, the series follows the STN-J. No one knows what STN stands for, and we don't find out in this set of discs. A 15-year-old girl named Robin Sena has just arrived back in Japan, where she was born, after being raised in an Italian monastery.
She is set to join the STN-J as their newest witch hunter. A "witch" by definition here isn't the occultist/pagan, but rather, it's someone with psychic powers who misuses them. People will go all their lives without knowing they have the power, then one day, they "awaken." Robin herself is a witch, since she can call up fire, although her control is lacking, to put it mildly.
Unlike other witch hunters, STN-J doesn't kill the witches, merely renders them incapacitated and takes them into custody. What happens then is not revealed, but will be later. Their only protection against the powers of the witches is the cross-like Orbo they wear around their neck, which deflects the attacks.
The troop leader is Amon, a brooding Neo-meets-Trent Reznor type who doesn't get off to a good start with Robin, and it doesn't get much better given his attitude, which has the bitterness of vinegar.
Also in the group is Miho Karasuma, who can read a person's feelings by touching them, Michael Lee, a mulleted hacker, Haruto Sakaki, a rookie who makes his own share of mistakes and Yurika Dojima, a lazy, good-for-nothing with a hairstyle reminiscent of Farrah Fawcett in her Charlie's Angels days.
Chief Kosaka is their immediate boss. He's got a head like a basketball and is constantly going off at them, while his boss, Zaizan, is as mysterious and withdrawn as Amon.
Robin's got a tough time ahead of her. She's a hunter, chasing dangerous people, and she's trying to get acclimated to Japan after living in Italy. Could you get a bigger culture shock? Plus, Amon doesn't seem crazy about her. She does form a friendship with Michael first, and then with others on the staff.
This has to be the most stylish anime I've seen in ages. Robin and Amon wear outfits that look like a cross between Victorian-era and The Matrix designs. Director Shukou Murase, the illustrator and designer for Argentosoma and Gundam Wing, seamlessly blended some 2D art with judicious use of some CG graphics. You can really see it in the elevator at the STN-J building.
It's not perfect. I wonder why they hold on to Dojima, and Robin has a habit of repeating what people have already said. Still, this looks to be a very interesting show. It's full of distinct, if not totally original personalities. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it develops, what is done with the captured witches, and what Amon's powers are, because he's a witch, too.
Score: 9 out of 10
Witch Hunter Robin - The Video
Being a television series, this is in foolscreen format, but it looks very good. Bitrate is a decent 5.32MB/sec. Only rarely during moments of action do you see scan lines. Curves are smooth with no aliasing. The picture is entirely free of jitter, shadow and bleed.
This is a very dark show, and not just in terms of mood. The clothing is almost all black, tan, olive green or other dark, earth tones. The level of detail is remarkable. Look closely at the rocks in the STN-J building and you see fine details, erosion, and the like. When Robin throws fire around, you see flickering lights and shadows from the dancing flames. All in all, a very good effort.
Score: 8 out of 10
Witch Hunter Robin - Languages and Audio
The soundtrack is available in English and Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0, which my amp nicely upgraded to surround through Dolby Pro Logic II. The edge goes to the Japanese language version, but the English version is acceptable. In both cases, you get clean, clear voices, good separation between voices with no hiss. The one real deficiency is in the LFE channel. Despite some big explosions, my subwoofer took the night off.
You get English subtitles for the show, plus for the lyrics of the opening and closing songs.
Score: 7 out of 10
Witch Hunter Robin - Packaging and Extras
The disc comes in an Amaray case with a reversible cover. If you don't like the one with Robin's face on it, you can use the other side, which has Dojima and Sakaki on the cover. The insert has photos of Robin with the cryptic opening screen, which reads:
Three hundred and twenty years have passed since the coven sank into the dark.
I am a Hunter. Those who are witches are my prey.
I have been training since a young age to hunt them.
Now, I have been given a new hunting ground.
They use strange technology here, but I shall not.
I shall remain faithful to the old ways.
The back side of the insert has the full Japanese and English credits for the show. Among the extras are the opening and closing without the credits, personnel files on the STNJ team and Maelifica Compendium, which explains some of the witchcraft in the series. Finally, there are trailers for upcoming Bandai releases. All told, it's kind of stingy.
Score: 4 out of 10
-- Andy Patrizio
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EarthsMightiestAdmin
9/29/2003
IGN